The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connector assemblies.
Electrical connector assemblies are commonly used in communication and/or network systems to provide an interface between successive runs of cables and/or between cables and electronic devices of the system. Some of such electrical connector assemblies include a jack that is configured to be joined with a plug. The jack includes a contact sub-assembly having an array of mating contacts. Each of the mating contacts of the contact sub-assembly includes a mating interface that engages a corresponding contact of the plug. At least some known contact sub-assemblies include a dielectric spacing member that surrounds the mating contacts within the array to position the mating contacts relative to each other within the array. For example, the spacing member may space the mating interfaces of adjacent mating contacts within the array by a predetermined pitch.
Electrical connector assemblies that are commonly used in communication and/or network systems include Registered Jack-11 (RJ-11) and Registered Jack-45 (RJ-45) wiring standards. RJ-11 is a six position two-wire connector assembly typically used to interconnect telephone equipment. RJ-45 is an eight position eight-wire connector assembly that is typically used to connect computers and/or other devices to local are networks (LANs), for example Ethernet networks. The plugs of RJ-11 connector assemblies are smaller than the jacks of RJ-45 connector assemblies such that an RJ-11 plug can be inserted into an RJ-45 jack. RJ-11 and RJ-45 connector assemblies have similar geometries such that RJ-11 and RJ-45 connector assemblies physically resemble each other. Further, RJ-11 and RJ-45 jacks are sometimes located proximate each other within a system. Accordingly, RJ-11 plugs are sometimes accidentally inserted into RJ-45 jacks.
RJ-45 jacks can be damaged when an RJ-11 plug is inserted therein. For example, RJ-11 plugs include raised extensions that extend on either side of the array of contacts thereof. When an RJ-11 plug is inserted into an RJ-45 jack, the raised extensions press against the two outermost contacts within the array of mating contacts of the RJ-45 jack. The force applied to the two outermost contacts of the RJ-45 jack by the raised extensions of the RJ-11 plug cause the spacing member to deform the two outermost contacts, thereby damaging them. When an RJ-45 plug is inserted into the RJ-45 jack, such damage to the two outermost contacts of the RJ-45 jack may result in an insufficient contact force between the mating contacts of the RJ-45 jack and the corresponding contacts of the RJ-45 plug, which may result in poor electrical performance.